MLB State of the Position 2025: Every Team's 5-Year Plan at Catcher
Finding a franchise catcher can be tough, but there is no shortage of star power at the position right now, with Adley Rutschman (BAL), Cal Raleigh (SEA), Will Smith (LAD), William Contreras (MIL) and potential future Hall of Famer Salvador Perez (KC) among the biggest names behind the plate.
There is also more star potential on the horizon, with Yainer Diaz (HOU), Austin Wells (NYY), Logan O'Hoppe (LAA) and Francisco Alvarez (NYM) among the best young backstops in the game, while Samuel Basallo (BAL), Kyle Teel (CWS), Drake Baldwin (ATL) and Dalton Rushing (LAD) are some of the top prospects knocking on the MLB door.
Ahead, we've broken down each team's present and future outlook at catcher, highlighting their current starters and their top prospects working their way up the minor league pipeline.
Included with each top prospect is his tier ranking based on where he slotted in Bleacher Report's final 2024 farm system rankings.
Think of this as the team's five-year plan at the position.
Catch up on the State of the Position series: Catcher, First Base, Second Base, Shortstop, Third Base, Outfield
Arizona Diamondbacks
1 of 30
Present: Gabriel Moreno (Age: 25)
Acquired in the deal that sent Daulton Varsho to the Blue Jays, Moreno won NL Gold Glove honors and had a 4.3-WAR season in his D-backs debut in 2023, helping to lead the team to a World Series appearance. He is controllable through the 2028 season, and his age could make him an appealing candidate for an early extension.
Future: Ivan Luciano (Tier: 3)
Adrian Del Castillo is technically still a prospect, but let's focus on the future since Moreno is firmly blocking his path. Luciano was the No. 94 overall pick in the 2024 draft, and his $990,000 bonus was the seventh-highest given to a player out of Puerto Rico in the bonus pool era. With a 50-grade hit tool and good defensive tools, he could be an everyday catcher down the road.
Five-Year Prediction: Moreno (2025-28), Luciano (2029)
Athletics
2 of 30
Present: Shea Langeliers (Age: 27)
Langeliers took a major step forward at the plate last season, posting a 111 OPS+ with 29 home runs and 80 RBI while also continuing to control the running game well with his strong arm. He will be arbitration-eligible for the first time next offseason, so he could be next in line for an extension, or he could be on his way out of the door.
Future: Daniel Susac (Tier: 3)
The No. 19 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Susac spent the entire 2024 season at the Double-A level, hitting .257/.300/.434 with 19 doubles, 12 home runs and 50 RBI in 88 games. The 23-year-old has a high floor thanks to his advanced hit tool and solid defensive skills, and he could turn Langeliers into a trade chip with another step in his development.
Five-Year Prediction: Langeliers (2025-27), Susac (2028-29)
Atlanta Braves
3 of 30
Present: Sean Murphy (Age: 30)
The Braves signed Murphy to a six-year, $73 million extension prior to the 2023 season, and he rewarded them with a career-high 3.9 WAR and an All-Star Game starts in the first year of that contract. Injuries limited him to 72 games last season, and a cracked left rib will keep him on the sidelines again to start the 2025 season.
Future: Drake Baldwin (Tier: 1)
After the Braves decided to cut ties with Travis d'Arnaud during the offseason, Baldwin now stands as the most likely replacement for Murphy on Opening Day, with Chadwick Tromp serving as the backup. Baldwin, 23, hit .276/.370/.432 with 19 doubles, 16 home runs and 88 RBI in 124 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year, then capped things off with a .942 OPS over 62 plate appearances in the Arizona Fall League.
Five-Year Prediction: Murphy (2025-27), Baldwin (2028-29)
Baltimore Orioles
4 of 30
Present: Adley Rutschman (Age: 27)
The Orioles were betting on Rutschman developing into a franchise catcher when they selected him No. 1 overall in the 2019 draft ahead of Bobby Witt Jr., and he has delivered with 13.1 WAR and a pair of All-Star selections over his first three seasons in the majors. He is controllable through the 2027 season, but looks like one of the most obvious extension candidates in baseball.
Future: Samuel Basallo (Tier: 1)
One of baseball's top catching prospects, Basallo followed up a breakout 2023 season by hitting .278/.341/.449 with 25 doubles, 19 home runs and 65 RBI in 127 games last year while reaching Triple-A shortly after his 20th birthday. He made 31 starts at first base last season, and that could be his long-term home in the majors, unless the O's decide to flip him in a trade or let Rutschman walk in free agency.
Five-Year Prediction: Rutschman (2025-29)
Boston Red Sox
5 of 30
Present: Connor Wong (Age: 28)
The last man standing in Boston from the Mookie Betts trade package, Wong enjoyed a breakout season at the plate in 2024, hitting .280/.333/.425 with 24 doubles, 13 home runs, 52 RBI and a 110 OPS+ in 126 games. He is controllable through the 2028 season and will again be the team's primary catcher in 2025.
Future: Johanfan Garcia (Tier: 3)
After trading 2023 first-round pick Kyle Teel to the White Sox in the Garrett Crochet blockbuster, the Red Sox no longer have a clear catcher of the future. Garcia is the younger brother of Red Sox outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia, and he was enjoying a breakout 2024 season at Single-A before suffering a torn ACL. Still only 20 years old, he now stands as the best catching prospect in the system.
Five-Year Prediction: Wong (2025-28), Garcia (2029)
Chicago Cubs
6 of 30
Present: Miguel Amaya (Age: 26)
Amaya had a respectable first full season in the big leagues, hitting .232/.288/.357 with 13 doubles, eight home runs, 47 RBI and 1.9 WAR in 117 games. The Cubs signed veteran Carson Kelly to a two-year, $11.5 million deal in free agency, and playing should be split evenly between the two early in the season.
Future: Moises Ballesteros (Tier: 1)
With a 5'8", 215-pound frame, Ballesteros might not look the part of a top-tier prospect, but he can flat-out rake. The 21-year-old spent the 2024 season in the upper levels of the minors where he hit .289/.354/.471 with 24 doubles, 19 home runs and 78 RBI in 124 games to emerge as a consensus Top 100 prospect.
Five-Year Prediction: Amaya (2025), Ballesteros (2026-29)
Chicago White Sox
7 of 30
Present: Korey Lee (Age: 26)
A former first-round pick and top prospect in the Astros system, Lee was acquired in the deal that sent Kendall Graveman to Houston at the 2023 trade deadline. He hit .210/.244/.347 with 14 doubles, 12 home runs and 37 RBI in 125 games last season, and he will open the season as the starting catcher, though a pair of top-tier prospects are knocking on the door.
Future: Kyle Teel (Tier: 1)
Teel (No. 3) and Edgar Quero (No. 9) both earned a place on our list of the Top 10 catching prospects for 2025 back in January, so the White Sox are in great shape behind the dish. Teel hit .288/.386/.433 with 23 doubles, 13 home runs and 78 RBI in 112 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year, and he is 5-for-15 with two home runs this spring, so don't be surprised if he is an early call-up in 2025.
Five-Year Prediction: Lee (2025), Teel (2026-29)
Cincinnati Reds
8 of 30
Present: Tyler Stephenson (Age: 28)
Stephenson had the best season of his career in 2024, hitting .258/.338/.444 for a 112 OPS+ with 26 doubles, 19 home runs, 66 RBI and 2.4 WAR while tallying 500 plate appearances for the second year in a row. The 2015 first-round pick will be a free agent after the 2026 season, at which point the Reds will have a tough decision to make.
Future: Alfredo Duno (Tier: 2)
Somewhat overshadowed in the 2023 international class by fellow catcher Ethan Salas, Duno reeled in a massive $3.1 million bonus of his own. The 19-year-old made his stateside debut at Single-A last year and hit .267/.367/.422 with 11 extra-base hits in 32 games before suffering a broken rib. He is just scratching the surface of his immense potential, and could be a consensus Top 100 prospect by this time next year.
Five-Year Prediction: Stephenson (2025-26), Free Agent (2027), Duno (2028-29)
Cleveland Guardians
9 of 30
Present: Bo Naylor (Age: 25)
Naylor was a first-round pick in 2018, and while it took him some time to develop, he finally broke through in 2023 when he posted a 121 OPS+ with 11 home runs and 32 RBI in 67 games as a rookie. He failed to match that level of production in his first year as the primary starter, hitting .201/.264/.350 for a 73 OPS+ in 389 plate appearances, but he did still slug 13 home runs while providing solid defense.
Future: Cooper Ingle (Tier: 2)
A fourth-round pick out of Clemson in 2023, Ingle sent his prospect stock soaring during his first full professional season by hitting .305/.419/.478 with 24 doubles, 11 home runs and 67 RBI in 95 games between High-A and Double-A. His 60-grade hit tool will be what carries him to the big leagues.
Five-Year Prediction: Naylor (2025-29)
Colorado Rockies
10 of 30
Present: Jacob Stallings (Age: 35)
Stallings had a quietly productive 2024 season with the Rockies, hitting .263/.357/.453 for a 118 OPS+ over 281 plate appearances while providing his usual strong work behind the plate. The 2021 NL Gold Glove winner re-signed with the Rockies this winter on a one-year, $2 million deal that includes a $2 million mutual option and $500,000 buyout for 2026.
Future: Drew Romo (Tier: 2)
The top high school catcher in the 2020 draft class and the No. 35 overall pick that year, Romo had a higher floor than most prep backstops thanks to his advanced receiving skills and solid all-around defense. The offensive game has come along slowly, but he hit .297/.339/.499 with 19 doubles, 14 home runs and 60 RBI in 85 games at Triple-A last year. The 23-year-old could be the primary starter by midseason.
Five-Year Prediction: Stallings (2025), Romo (2026-29)
Detroit Tigers
11 of 30
Present: Jake Rogers (Age: 29)
The Tigers acquired Rogers in the blockbuster deal that sent Justin Verlander to the Astros back in 2017, and he finally broke through as Detroit's starting catcher during his age-28 season in 2023. Strong defensive skills drive his value, though he also has some playable power, and he has two more years of club control remaining heading into the 2025 season.
Future: Thayron Liranzo (Tier: 2)
With rookie Dillon Dingler expected to win the backup catcher job to start the year and Josue Briceño fresh off Arizona Fall League MVP honors, the Tigers have a wealth of young catching talent right now. However, as far as long-term upside is concerned, Thayron Liranzo looks like the best of the bunch. The 21-year-old was acquired in the Jack Flaherty trade last summer, and he hit .244/.378/.408 with 22 doubles, 12 home runs and 50 RBI in 100 games at High-A in 2024.
Five-Year Prediction: Rogers (2025-26), Liranzo (2027-29)
Houston Astros
12 of 30
Present: Yainer Diaz (Age: 26)
After splitting time behind the plate with veteran Martín Maldonado as a rookie in 2023, Diaz took over as the starter last year and hit .299/.325/.441 for a 118 OPS+ with 29 doubles, 16 home runs and 84 RBI while recording 3.2 WAR for the second straight year. He is controllable through the 2028 season and could be a candidate for an early extension, especially with his improving skills behind the plate.
Future: Walker Janek (Tier: 2)
Janek hit .364/.476/.709 with 15 doubles, 17 home runs and 58 RBI over 58 games during his junior season at Sam Houston State before going No. 28 overall in the 2024 draft. He was viewed by some as the best defensive catcher in last year's college class, thanks in part to a rocket arm, and his 50-hit, 50-power offensive profile also give him significant upside in the batter's box.
Five-Year Prediction: Diaz (2025-29)
Kansas City Royals
13 of 30
Present: Salvador Perez (Age: 34)
The greatest catcher in Royals franchise history and a potential future Hall of Famer, Salvador Perez remains one of the best offensive backstops in baseball. The nine-time All-Star hit .271/.330/.456 for a 119 OPS+ with 28 doubles, 27 home runs and 104 RBI last season, and his 273 career long balls rank 10th all-time among catchers. He started 44 games at DH and 23 at first base last year to stay fresh, with Freddy Fermin emerging as one of the league's better backups.
Future: Blake Mitchell (Tier: 1)
Two of the top prospects in a thin Royals farm system are catchers with Mitchell and Carter Jensen both possessing future starter upside. Mitchell, 20, was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 draft after winning Texas Gatorade Player of the Year honors as a high school junior and senior. He hit .232/.368/.424 with 18 home runs, 51 RBI and 26 steals in 111 games between Single-A and High-A in his first full professional season.
Five-Year Prediction: Perez (2025-26), Mitchell (2027-29)
Los Angeles Angels
14 of 30
Present: Logan O'Hoppe (Age: 25)
The Angels acquired O'Hoppe in a rare one-for-one swap that looks like a win for both sides, with outfielder Brandon Marsh going the other way to the Phillies. After flashing his offensive upside during an injury-shortened rookie season in 2023, he posted a 100 OPS+ with 20 home runs and 56 RBI in a 2.7-WAR campaign last year. Catcher has been a revolving door for the Angels for years, but they finally appear to have a long-term answer, and O'Hoppe has club control through 2028.
Future: Dario Laverde (Tier: 3)
The Angels have a few intriguing catchers in the lower levels of the minors, headlined by the bat-first Laverde and defensive-minded Juan Flores. Laverde, 20, has a 50-grade hit tool and batted .277/.366/.390 with 16 extra-base hits in 57 games at Single-A last year in his full-season debut.
Five-Year Prediction: O'Hoppe (2025-29)
Los Angeles Dodgers
15 of 30
Present: Will Smith (Age: 29)
The Dodgers signed Smith to a 10-year, $140 million extension last March, so he figures to occupy the starting catcher spot for the foreseeable future. Over the last four seasons, he has hit .257/.348/.456 for a 121 OPS+ while averaging 23 doubles, 22 home runs, 79 RBI and 3.8 WAR. He was an All-Star in 2023 and 2024, and he is also now a two-time World Series champion.
Future: Dalton Rushing (Tier: 1)
With Smith signed long-term and veteran Austin Barnes back for another year in the backup role, Rushing's path to playing time appears to be in the outfield. The 24-year-old hit .271/.385/.512 with 21 doubles, 26 home runs and 85 RBI in 115 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year while making 31 starts in left field. Once he arrives in the majors, he could eventually settle in as the backup catcher while continuing to see action in the outfield, similar to David Fry in Cleveland.
Five-Year Prediction: Smith (2025-29)
Miami Marlins
16 of 30
Present: Nick Fortes (Age: 28)
Fortes posted a 56 OPS+ in 335 plate appearances last season and finished as a league-average player with 0.0 WAR in 110 games thanks to his solid defensive work. He is a quality backup on a contending team, but continues to be overexposed in a starting role in Miami. Rule 5 pick Liam Hicks is on track to serve as his backup.
Future: Agustin Ramirez (Tier: 1)
Ramirez was acquired from the Yankees in the midst of a breakout season last summer as the prospect headliner in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. blockbuster. The 23-year-old reached Triple-A last year while hitting .267/.358/.487 with 26 doubles, 25 home runs, 93 RBI and 22 steals in 126 games. He also allowed 110 steals in 122 attempts and 11 passed balls, so he won't see the majors until his receiving skills are further refined.
Five-Year Prediction: Fortes (2025), Ramirez (2026-29)
Milwaukee Brewers
17 of 30
Present: William Contreras (Age: 27)
After a terrific first season in Milwaukee in 2023, Contreras emerged as a legitimate star last year, posting a 129 OPS+ with 37 doubles, 23 home runs and 92 RBI to win his second straight Silver Slugger and finish fifth in NL MVP balloting. He is controllable through the 2027 season, but could hit the trade block in 2026 if the Brewers do not intend to lock him up with a long-term extension.
Future: Jeferson Quero (Tier: 1)
The reason the Brewers might consider not breaking the bank to extend Contreras is the presence of Quero waiting in the wings down on the farm. The 22-year-old hit .262/.339/.441 with 16 home runs and 49 RBI in 90 games at Double-A in 2023, but suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder in his season debut last year that sidelined him the rest of the year. Still well ahead of the developmental curve, he is one of baseball's best catching prospects.
Five-Year Prediction: Contreras (2025-26), Quero (2027-29)
Minnesota Twins
18 of 30
Present: Ryan Jeffers (Age: 27)
Jeffers has emerged as one of the more productive offensive catchers in the American League in recent years, posting a 103 OPS+ while tallying career-high marks in games (122), hits (93), doubles (22), home runs (21), RBI (64) and several other categories. He is controllable through 2026, and will continue to share a few starts a week with Christian Vázquez who is owed $10 million in the final season of a three-year, $30 million deal.
Future: Diego Cartaya (Tier: 3)
Cartaya peaked at No. 18 on the Baseball America Top 100 prospect list prior to the 2023 season, but his stock has cratered following two years of poor showings in the upper minors. He hit .221/.323/.363 with 113 strikeouts in 95 games last year and the Dodgers designated him for assignment in January to open a 40-man roster spot. The Twins bought low and acquired him via trade, and he will look to rebuild his prospect stock in his age-23 campaign.
Five-Year Prediction: Jeffers (2025-26), Cartaya (2027-29)
New York Mets
19 of 30
Present: Francisco Alvarez (Age: 23)
Alvarez slugged 25 home runs as a rookie in 2023 then followed that up with a 101 OPS+ and 27 extra-base hits in 100 games last season while making incremental progress on his walk and strikeout rates. A fractured left hand will sideline him to start the 2025 season, but he still has the potential to develop into one of the best all-around catchers in baseball with club control through 2028.
Future: Daiverson Gutierrez (Tier: 3)
Gutierrez received a $1.9 million bonus as part of a 2023 international class that also included Ethan Salas and Alfredo Duno at the catcher position. The 19-year-old made his stateside debut last season, and with 55-grade power and good defensive tools, he is one to watch in the coming years.
Five-Year Prediction: Alvarez (2025-29)
New York Yankees
20 of 30
Present: Austin Wells (Age: 25)
The Yankees have found their catcher of the present and future in Wells, who posted a 103 OPS+ with 18 doubles, 13 home runs, 55 RBI and 2.5 WAR as a rookie last season while doing an excellent job handling the pitching staff. He seemed to run out of gas and slumped down the stretch, but he has as much long-term upside as any young backstop in baseball.
Future: Rafael Flores (Tier: 2)
With Agustin Ramirez traded to the Marlins, Flores is now the best catching prospect in the Yankees system , and he could make his MLB debut before the 2025 season is over. The 24-year-old hit .279/.379/.495 with 31 doubles, 21 home runs and 68 RBI in 124 games between High-A and Double-A last year. He allowed 115 steals in 137 attempts last year and will always be a bat-first backstop.
Five-Year Prediction: Wells (2025-29)
Philadelphia Phillies
21 of 30
Present: J.T. Realmuto (Age: 33)
One of the best all-around catchers of the last 50 years, Realmuto recorded his seventh season with at least 3.0 WAR last year over 11 seasons in the majors. There is reportedly mutual interest in an extension that would keep him with the Phillies beyond 2025, as he is entering the final season of his five-year, $115.5 million contract.
Future: Eduardo Tait (Tier: 2)
Tait turned heads in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2023 after signing for just $90,000 out of Panama, and he continued to rake after making his way stateside last season. The 18-year-old hit .302/.356/.486 with 18 doubles, 11 home runs and 73 RBI in 80 games between rookie ball and Single-A last year, and while his receiving skills remain a work-in-progress, he has a rocket arm.
Five-Year Prediction: Realmuto (2025-27), Tait (2028-29)
Pittsburgh Pirates
22 of 30
Present: Joey Bart (Age: 28)
The Pirates rolled the dice on Bart after the former top prospect was designated for assignment by the Giants at the start of last season, and the change of scenery worked wonders as he posted a 120 OPS+ with 13 home runs and 45 RBI in 282 plate appearances. Now the Pirates have a catcher of the present and near future, as he is controllable through the 2027 season.
Future: Omar Alfonzo (Tier: 3)
While he exhausted his prospect eligibility, Endy Rodriguez has a top prospect pedigree and could still end up being the catcher of the future. Looking further down the road, Alfonzo is a prospect on the rise following a 2024 season where he hit .252/.357/.403 with 17 doubles, 13 home runs and 46 RBI in 110 games between Single-A and High-A.
Five-Year Prediction: Bart (2025-27), Rodriguez (2028-29)
San Diego Padres
23 of 30
Present: Elias Díaz (Age: 34)
The Padres plucked Díaz from the scrapheap last August after he was released by the Rockies, and they saw enough in limited action to bring him back on a one-year, $1.5 million deal that includes a $7 million mutual option and $2 million buyout for 2026. The 2023 All-Star Game MVP will share time with offensive-minded Luis Campusano who is a former top prospect with club control through 2028.
Future: Ethan Salas (Tier: 1)
Salas signed for $5.6 million as the top prospect in the 2023 international class, and the Padres pushed him aggressively once he took the field, with his Double-A debut coming later that year. The 18-year-old spent all of last season at High-A where he struggled to a .206/.288/.311 line over 469 plate appearances, but he played well in the Arizona Fall League, and he is still miles ahead of the developmental curve with all the tools to be a star.
Five-Year Prediction: Diaz (2025), Campusano (2026-27), Salas (2028-29)
San Francisco Giants
24 of 30
Present: Patrick Bailey (Age: 25)
Bailey won the first of what could be several Gold Gloves in 2024, and he has a solid case for best defensive catcher in baseball. The 2020 first-round pick threw out 27.1 percent of base stealers and led the NL with 25 runners caught stealing, while also grading out as the best pitch-framer in baseball. He is controllable through the 2029 season.
Future: Yohendry Sánchez (Tier: 3)
Sánchez landed a $1.4 million bonus as one of the Giants top 2024 international signings, and he logged a .937 OPS over 45 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League in his pro debut. The 18-year-old is a developmental prospect, but one worth keeping an eye on as he makes his way stateside.
Five-Year Prediction: Bailey (2025-29)
Seattle Mariners
25 of 30
Present: Cal Raleigh (Age: 28)
Raleigh became the first catcher with back-to-back 30-homer seasons since Mike Piazza last year when he posted a 119 OPS+ with 34 home runs and 100 RBI while also taking home Gold Glove and Platinum Glove honors in a 4.7-WAR season. With club control through the 2027 season, it might be time for the Mariners to start talking extension, as he deserves at least some credit for the success of their dynamic young rotation.
Future: Harry Ford (Tier: 1)
The argument against extending Raleigh is the presence of Ford, who is one of the top catching prospects in baseball. A rare athlete at the catcher position who has drawn some comparisons to a young Craig Biggio, he spent his age-21 season at Double-A where he posted a .745 OPS with 35 extra-base hits, 35 steals and a terrific 14.1 percent walk rate.
Five-Year Prediction: Raleigh (2025-29)
St. Louis Cardinals
26 of 30
Present: Ivan Herrera (Age: 24)
With Willson Contreras shifting to first base to replace Paul Goldschmidt, the starting catching job now belongs to Herrera, who hit .301/.372/.428 with 18 extra-base hits in 259 plate appearances last year. Those numbers were propped up by an unsustainable .370 batting average on balls in play, but he still has the potential to be a solid offensive contributor.
Future: Jimmy Crooks (Tier: 2)
If Herrera is unable to definitively stake his claim to the catcher job, Crooks will be the next man up following a 2024 season where he hit .321/.410/.498 with 19 doubles, 11 home runs and 62 RBI in 90 games at Double-A. The 23-year-old was a fourth-round pick in 2022 out of the University of Oklahoma.
Five-Year Prediction: Herrera (2025-29)
Tampa Bay Rays
27 of 30
Present: Danny Jansen (Age: 29)
Catcher has been a revolving door for the Rays since their inception as a franchise in 1998, and Jansen is the latest short-term solution after signing a one-year, $8 million deal that includes a $12 million mutual option and $500,000 buyout for 2026. He had a down year in 2024, but posted a 120 OPS+ over 754 plate appearances in the three seasons prior.
Future: Dominic Keegan (Tier: 2)
A fourth-round pick in 2022 out of Vanderbilt, Keegan has a chance to give the Rays a true homegrown starting catcher. The 24-year-old had a breakout season offensively in 2023, and continued to impress in a full season at Double-A last year, hitting .285/.371/.435 with 35 extra-base hits and 60 RBI in 104 games. With plus receiving skills and a playable arm, he also has the defensive tools to back up his offensive game.
Five-Year Prediction: Jansen (2025), Keegan (2026-29)
Texas Rangers
28 of 30
Present: Jonah Heim (Age: 29)
After starting the All-Star Game during a breakout 2023 season, Heim took a major step backward last year. Whether it was a hangover from the grind of a long 2023 playoff run or lingering effects of the wrist injury that sidelined him in July, he hit just .220/.267/.336 and saw his OPS drop 153 points. His defense and power give him a high floor even when he's not consistently hitting, but he is capable of getting back to where he was in 2023.
Future: Malcolm Moore (Tier: 2)
Moore did not have the season many were expecting as a draft-eligible sophomore at Stanford, but his .414 on-base percentage and polished all-around offensive game was still enough to make him the No. 30 overall pick in the 2024 draft. He could end up being one of the biggest steals of his draft class after generating top-10 pick buzz early last spring.
Five-Year Prediction: Heim (2025-26), Moore (2027-29)
Toronto Blue Jays
29 of 30
Present: Alejandro Kirk (Age: 26)
Even if Kirk never again approaches the 127 OPS+ and 4.0 WAR he posted during the 2022 season en route to an All-Star Game start and AL Silver Slugger honors, he has settled in as a productive starting catcher, and the gig is now all his after Danny Jansen departed in free agency. Kirk is under club control through the 2026 season, and with no clear in-house replacement rising the ranks, an extension could make sense for both sides.
Future: Aaron Parker (Tier: 3)
Parker was a sixth-round pick in the 2024 draft out of UC Santa Barbara, where he hit .379/.460/.632 with 12 doubles, 12 home runs and 51 RBI in 48 games last spring. The 22-year-old was sent straight to Single-A to begin his pro career and logged an .899 OPS over 100 plate appearances, and that's enough to immediately make him the best catching prospect in a system that is extremely thin at the position.
Five-Year Prediction: Kirk (2025-29)
Washington Nationals
30 of 30
Present: Keibert Ruiz (Age: 26)
A top prospect in the Dodgers system, Ruiz was acquired in the Max Scherzer/Trea Turner blockbuster trade, and the Nationals decided quickly he was a big part of their long-term plans when he was inked to an eight-year, $50 million extension prior to the 2023 season. He hit .229/.260/.359 with 21 doubles, 13 home runs and 57 RBI in 127 games last year, and provided a stabilizing presence to the pitching staff.
Future: Caleb Lomavita (Tier: 3)
Lomavita had some mid-first round buzz heading into the 2024 draft after hitting .322/.395/.586 with 15 home runs, 52 RBI and 12 steals in 55 games during his junior season at the University of California. He ended up slipping to No. 39 overall and immediately became the top catching prospect in the Nationals system.
Five-Year Prediction: Ruiz (2025-29)
